It pulls you in with its size and colors and then grabs you from the inside, gently like the arms of a snake handler. Probably one of the most popular pieces in the collection of the SFMOMA, Rothko’s No. 14. It’s hard not to stop and immerse yourself in the piece and as much as I love the painting I find it quite enjoyable watching the observers seemingly transported into a state of calm. The museum is undergoing a major renovation and shuts down for a couple of years. Luckily you can still catch a glimpse of No. 14 at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, starting Friday. Here’s a story for San Francisco magazine about the SFMOMA packing up and entering a phase of expansion.

and here’s an outtake

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